"It should not be denied...that being footloose has always exhilarated us. It is associated in our minds with escape from history and oppression...

"... and law and irksome obligations, with absolute freedom, and the road has always led west." -Wallace Stegner

This quote is by Wallace Stegner and I read it in the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, which I recommend you read. As I read this quote, I feel it embodies my desire to go explore the vast west. I wish to go out west to experience the simple beauty of nature, and to find a sense of freedom and independence. I want to be less dependent on society and more dependent on the Earth to try to conserve and savor all it has to offer. I really want to explore Colorado, Montana, and Alaska. To me these places hold immense unworldly beauty. I want to transform myself into an individual fully committed to the outdoors. I envision myself living a completely different lifestyle, but I am not sure if I will ever had the means or the will to do so completely.

Only time will tell...till then I wish for the day that I can immerse myself in the majestic peaks, starry skies, and flowing waters.

Veganism?

So recently I decided I wanted to try eating vegan. At first I was going to try it for a day, then I brought it up with my roommate and we decided to try for a week. I then had the idea that we should go till Easter and be vegans for lent. So this led me being vegan for about 20 days (we started in the middle of March). I enlisted my roommate and another of our friends, both who are basically vegetarians. I have never been a vegetarian so I figured being vegan would be really hard and I wasn't sure if I could do it. However, so far I've found it to be pretty easy and enjoyable. I did mess up once or twice, but I am trying new things, mixing things together into delicious combinations, and discovering that vegan cookies are just as good if not better than regular cookies. So far it has been just over a week, but I am already contemplating if I want to continue this diet. I am not sure if I can continue it forever, because I do love cheese and yogurt, but I am thinking of trying to employ a mostly vegan diet while occasionally eating some dairy products.